Republicans either have no farking idea how negotiations work, they are the most disingenuous douchebags ever, or both. When you constantly ask another side for their terms and they do, you don't respond with name calling. You put your terms on the table and then work towards common ground through compromise. From the Republican's response, either they have no idea how to negotiate or they are trying to rig it to where they can blame every unpopular decision made on the President

What Krauthamer needs to realize that as with the last election, like with the Civil War,his side lost. Man up and deal with it.

The scary part is it seems like they are so pissed about losing they want to take the whole country down with them. A certain WWII leader felt the same way. (Yes I went there.)

A few months ago, my mom who is a baby-boomer tea party crazy-type, was trying to save me from my socialist-communist tendencies and was trying to convince me how right she was by suggesting I read some columns from Krauthammer. I haven't stopped laughing yet.

brerjeff:A few months ago, my mom who is a baby-boomer tea party crazy-type, was trying to save me from my socialist-communist tendencies and was trying to convince me how right she was by suggesting I read some columns from Krauthammer. I haven't stopped laughing yet.

We go over the cliff and lose funding for entitlement programs were in a situation for most aspects where Americans can help other Americans. It sucks that it happens but we can rally together to help one another

That's our cross to bear.

However the military is unlikely to put together a bake sale to try and make up the difference in the spending cuts.

And in the end if it happens who is going to get blamed? Obama? The guy who conceded and compromised or the groups that consistently stood for the wealthiest?

Honestly, 2012 was an election. You do this and 2014 and 2016 are going to shape up to be a shiat-beating that will make Dukakis look like he was a contender.

Kinda like demanding zero new revenues? Sine the Democrats know that the Republicans are going to start from a position of zero compromise, they are starting from a similar position...'give us everything we want' and see how that 'no compromise' thing works out.

Because the Democrats tried the compromise thing earlier last year when we get Boehner 98% of what he wanted and the GOP STILL would not compromise a lousy 2%. Everybody remembers that and THAT is why the GOP will be blamed if there is no compromise this time around.

ghall3:"Republicans won the House" I hate how they keep falling back on this. It should be completely obvious to EVERYONE that this is because they rigged it. The Dems won 50.2% of the vote for the house compared with 49.7% for the GOP. Now this is not a huge margin but considering the GOP ended up with 51.4% of the seats compared with 44.8% for the Dems, something is wrong.

But of course the media will never call the GOP out on this when they bring it up because they have to be "fair and balanced".

We are farked

It's not exactly rigged. Everyone keeps calling this gerrymandering without looking at how exactly it happened. PA is a great example. The democrats took a majority of the votes but only 6/18 house seats - because they won by giant majorities in Philadelphia and lost by slimmer margins across most of the rest of the state. Should every district have a long tendril into Philly to split up heavy Democratic majority from the metro area across the rest of the state's districts? That would end up with a ridiculous looking map of districts. The same pattern - Democratic supermajority in urban areas and smaller republican majorities in rural areas - played out in many places across the country. There are very few districts Republicans win with the 80%+ majorities Democrats take in the cities. It's not exactly a conspiracy, just a natural consequence of a system where winning by 1% is worth the same as winning by 40%. The only way around it would to switch to a nationwide vote and a system or proportional representation.

Skarekrough:We go over the cliff and lose funding for entitlement programs were in a situation for most aspects where Americans can help other Americans. It sucks that it happens but we can rally together to help one another

Oh farking bullshiat. Half this country wouldn't lift a finger to help another American in need. They sneer at the "takers" and "moochers". They will happily watch them suffer.

Previously, Obama's pattern had been to offer plans that roughly tracked where he thought the compromise should end up. The White House's belief was that by being solicitous in their policy proposals, they would win goodwill on the other side, and even if they didn't, the media would side with them, realizing they'd sought compromise and been rebuffed. They don't believe that anymore. Link

Walking away means Republicans will take all the heat for the tax increases and military cuts, while Obama will get what he wants passed later. Which is why Republicans will cave on everything and pretend they got what they wanted.

mrshowrules:brerjeff: A few months ago, my mom who is a baby-boomer tea party crazy-type, was trying to save me from my socialist-communist tendencies and was trying to convince me how right she was by suggesting I read some columns from Krauthammer. I haven't stopped laughing yet.

As I picture your mom.

[ct.fra.bz image 600x416]

/no offense

There's this look of smugness that stupid people can achieve that no thinking person can ever come close to...it fills me with much rage, because you know there's no way you can use knowledge, facts, or wisdom to get rid of it. It is the impenetrable shield of stupidity.

badhatharry:The Democrats know they make any demands that they want. They know the Republicans will be blamed no matter what happens. That's what happens when you don't have a free press.

Awesome, so hopefully the death toll will be just as large. Personally, I believe the best thing for this country would be to take 750,000 wingnut conservatives out behind the barn with a shotgun. The executions start tonight.

GoodyearPimp:Guess we don't have a deal. Over the cliff we go, thanks to bloviating jackasses like this guy.

We can only hope it happens. Going over the "fiscal cliff" would be the best for our long term economic health, sure it is going to suck in the short run, and be hard for 10-15 years, but it would greatly help put the US governments fiscal house in order.

They obviously expect the Republicans will cave on everything. I think Republican ought to simply walk away.

this has been the theme I'm hearing from a LOT of Republican pundits. they're telling the Republicans NOT to compromise with the Democrats and to take their ball and go home. it's surprisingly well coordinated. Krauthammer, Limbaugh and I think I heard Beck and Hannity say something along similar lines. this theme is a bit TOO unified to be merely coincidence.

I just wish these media outlets would send him and other mouthpieces from both sides a message. Krauthammer proclaims that there are no cuts in the Dem proposal when there clearly are substantial cuts. He ought to be told by all the TV panels he'll undoubtedly be on that someone who is so careless with the facts (because of either partisanship or stupidity) is no longer welcome to express his views on air. Of course, it'll never happen, but it's nice to think about.

Rates are going up on the upper income brackets of the wealthiest Americans one way or the other...

You lost. The Administration's ideas "won the day". You're the ones who need to come closer to his position. Or, you can continue to act like petulant children and accept most of the blame when middle class tax rates also go up.

Krauthammer's right in one way. The GOP is like the Confederacy... Beaten, on the wrong side of history, and in no position to make demands.

Buffalo77:Subby be intellectually honest about it. CK did not say what you have him quoted as saying.

CK: "It's not just a bad deal, this is really an insulting deal... Robert E. Lee was offered easier terms at Appomattox and he lost the Civil War."

SUBBY: "We got a better deal when we lost in the Civil War"

There are the two quotes. Now, while I have often posted my frustration with headlines using incorrect quotes (really, people, stop it), and I understand subby used the word "we" here, what about it isn't at least in the ball park? Krauthammer is suggesting the Republicans are being treated like they lost a war and owe all sorts of concessions. In reality, Obama offered a combination of cuts and the revocation of TEMPORARY tax cuts that he already extended once.

If you want a good analogy, it's like arguing with a kid about his bedtime. He usually goes down at 7pm, but you let him stay up until 8. Now you're telling him it's time for bed and he's screaming that it is completely unfair, and he'll only go along with it if you give him candy. For the record, the republicans are the child having the tantrum in this analogy. They will stay awake screaming and making life miserable for themselves and everyone else just because they didn't get their way 100% of the time.